LMNGBR
  • Home
  • Calendar
  • Volunteer Now!
  • Member Portal
  • Apply Now
  • About
    • Our Partners
    • In the News
    • Resources
    • Great Outdoors
    • Education
    • Bird Song
    • Citizen Science
    • BioBlitz
  • Log Hours
    • FAQ
  • Contact
  • Pay

Naturalist Notes

Master Naturalists are a curious bunch and ask our hike leaders and instructors a ton of questions. Below you will find some answers to some of our most frequently asked questions that come up as we explore Louisiana's ecoregions. We encourage using iNaturalist to record your observations of nature - the data is very valuable to scientists because it documents species and the phenology (blooming, fruiting, larvae, adult, etc.) at a place and date. Plus, it is a great tool to learn the identification of Louisiana's wildlife and plants.

Picture
           A. Gulf Fritillary
           Agraulis vanillae
           Bright orange
           Black streaks

           Wing undersides are brown with silver spots.

Picture
     B. Queen
     Danaus gilippus
     Black border
     Small white spots
     Color can vary from orange to brown
     Wing undersides have black veins and white spots.
Picture
No Monarchs here, but they sure look very similar!

Gulf Fritillary butterflies are unique to the Gulf of Mexico area. They rely on Passionvines to lay their eggs. Plant a passion vine in your garden and you will surely have some spiky orange and black Gulf Fritillary caterpillars in no time! You will often see the adults getting nectar from Lantana.

Queens are tropical butterflies that are cousins to Monarchs. They lay their eggs on Dogbanes like milkweed and jasmine. The adults like to get nectar from a variety of plants, like milkweed and mistflower.

Monarch vs. Queen

Beautiful but stinky: Gulf Fritillary


Picture
Eastern Giant Swallowtail Butterfly Larvae
Even poop is interesting to naturalists! In this case, it is not poop, but a caterpillar. Check your satsuma trees and other citrus plants for these fascinating larvae that mimic the coloration and shape of bird droppings. Great camouflage from predators! These caterpillars can stick out a forked osmeterium that looks like a snake tongue to fend off predators. There are also species of moths, spiders and frogs that mimic bird droppings.

Picture
Larvae sticking out the osmeterium.
Adult ovipositing (laying eggs) on a satsuma tree.

Picture
This is a non-venomous Broad-Banded Water Snake.
Water snakes are very often mistaken for Cottonmouths. Both snakes are similar in size, have big heads and varying colors and patterns. Both species are vital to our ecosystem and are best left alone.
Here are some general ways to tell them apart without handling them:

A. Water Snakes
Nerodia
Native and non-venomous.

Vertical dark bars on the bottom jaw (the best way to ID a water snake.)


Tends to swim with its body under the water.

Eyes have round pupils.


Eyes relatively easy to see from above.


Head is more rounded and snout is more pointy.
But, when scared, they can flatten their head and mimic a viper!

Tends to flee into the water to escape; Will strike if threatened; Does not vibrate tail.
B. Cottonmouths, A.K.A. Water Moccasins
Agkistrodon piscivorus
Native and venomous.

Horizontal dark stripe across the eye.


Tends to swim with its body on top of the water.

Eyes have vertical pupils. (Though at night, the pupils can be round.)

Eyes have a protective ridge above them.

Head is blocky; Head is wider at the neck than a water snake.

Tends to stand its ground and try to scare you away by vibrating its tail and opening its mouth, which is white inside; Generally will not strike unless handled or stepped on.

Picture
Venomous Snakes of the Southeastern U.S.

Snakes of Louisiana

​Louisiana Amphibian and Reptile Enthusiasts Facebook Group

Picture
          A. Yaupon Holly
          Ilex vomitoria
          Native to Louisiana
          Leaves alternate on the stem
          Leaves slightly serrated on the edges
          Red berries

          White flowers in clumps along the stem
          Keep it!

B. Chinese Privet
Ligustrum sinense
Invasive from Asia - introduced as an ornamental
Leaves opposite each other on the stem
Some leaves are slightly wavy
Dark purple berries
White flowers in spikes that stick out
Remove it!

Picture
These two lookalike shrubs are very common in Louisiana, but are very different in how they impact the ecosystem. Privet is extremely invasive, quickly invading forests from the berries and spreading roots. It disrupts the ecosystem by out-competing and shading out the native plants and trees.

Chinese Privet: A Biological Invader in Louisiana's Forests


The Untold Story of the Humble Yaupon Holly

Picture
           A. Viceroy
           Limenitis archippus
           Black line running across the hind wings

     B. Monarch
     Danaus plexippus
     No line across the hind wings

When you are out in the field, the most obvious difference is the black line that runs horizontally across the hind wings of the Viceroy.

​Mimic
Monarch caterpillars feed on milkweed as a defense mechanism because it makes them (and the adult butterflies) poisonous and taste bad to predators.
The viceroy also tastes bad because it feeds on willow and cottonwood, but it is not as potent as the monarch. The viceroy and a few other butterflies mimic the look of monarchs, and as a result, predators will usually avoid all of them.

More identification information

Viceroy information


Monarch information

Try loading observations from your yard and outings onto www.iNaturalist.org!
​It's a great way to identify the wildlife and plants in your ecoregion and contribute scientific data.
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Calendar
  • Volunteer Now!
  • Member Portal
  • Apply Now
  • About
    • Our Partners
    • In the News
    • Resources
    • Great Outdoors
    • Education
    • Bird Song
    • Citizen Science
    • BioBlitz
  • Log Hours
    • FAQ
  • Contact
  • Pay